Chabad Of Owings Mills Building 'CAN-Orah' For Hanukkah

OWINGS MILLS, MD — The annual Jewish holiday Hanukkah began at sundown Thursday and runs through nightfall on Friday, Dec. 18.

Chabad of Owings Mills is lighting a giant menorah Sunday made of cans that will be donated to local food pantries.

The organization invited people to donate certified-kosher canned goods to erect the CAN-orah.

According to the Chabad of Owings Mills, the CAN-orah lighting will be in person and on Zoom at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13.

• Meeting ID: 891 1760 6174.
• Passcode: chabad

The Chabad of Owings Mills is holding a virtual Chanukah party afterward at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13.

These speakers will be part of the program, entitled "Beyond the Flame": Ron Dermer, Israeli ambassador to the United States; Chasidic pop artist Yitzchok Moully; Rabbi YY Jacobson; food writer/blogger Chani Apfelbaum; musical artist Nissim Black; Israeli former pro basketball player Tamir Goodman; Avivah Jablon of CKids; and Owings Mills Surprise.

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated Syrian-Greek oppressors who tried forcing them to abandon their religion and adopt Greek culture.

The story has it that, led by Judah Maccabeus, they recaptured the holy temple in Jerusalem. Arriving there, they found only enough olive oil to light candles for one night, but the oil lasted for eight nights. That's why the Hanukkah celebration is a "festival of lights."

RELATED: What Is Hanukkah? A Guide For Jews, And Non-Jews Alike

Here are five other things to know about the Jewish holiday:

1. Why Does Hanukkah Start On A Different Day Every Year? Hanukkah is an eight-day winter "festival of lights," which begins each year on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac. Since the Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the dates for Hanukkah vary from year to year. It has taken place anywhere from late November to late December. In 2019, Hanukkah began on Dec. 22. In 2021, it will begin on Nov. 28.
2. Where Does It Rank Among The Jewish Holidays? Members of the Jewish faith consider Hanukkah a minor holiday compared to celebrations such as Rosh Hashanah, which marks the new year, and Passover, which commemorates the escape from Egypt.
3. Is It The Jewish Equivalent Of Christmas? No. Hanukkah often gets connected with the Christian holiday Christmas, but the only connection Hanukkah has with Christmas is that both holidays occur in December.
4. How It's Celebrated: Every evening at sundown, candles on a menorah (a candleholder with nine branches) are lit. The nine branches are for eight candles representing the eight days the oil lasted, and one for the candle used to light the others.
5. Did You Know? There's no mention of Hanukkah in the Torah, the most sacred part of the Hebrew Bible. But it is referenced in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, according to History.com. The events that inspired Hanukkah occurred after the Torah was written. It was mentioned in the New Testament when Jesus attends a "feast of dedication."

Patch Editor Tim Moran contributed to this report.